First Time Contracting Advice

[DannyF1966]

I've had clients before who've asked me to stay on a month before the contract is due to end, but I've also read on here about people who haven't had an extension offered until their last day.

If I were you, I wouldn't say anything to your current client until they're pestering you for an answer, by which time you should know if the 12 month offer is more concrete or not. Bear in mind that contracts can be pulled any time before the start date, and sometimes even after the start date but before the invoice date. If you've not been contracting long then you might not have much in the warchest, and it might be better for you financially to stick with your current contract, seeing as how it's actually bringing in some money at the moment.

Your current contract ends at the end of Feb and there's nothing wrong with leaving at that date. You can say on your CV that it was a three-month contract and you saw it through to the end, no harm, no foul.

[stek]

The offer isn't formal yet - the role has been created and the budget approved. The client manager responsible for the hiring has stated he wants me to fill it (having worked with me before) and has been contacting me for the last few months to make a concrete decision on it.

So no it's not an actual offer yet - but it's more than the situation of hearing a potential role from an agency.

Risky. I've seen possibles like this just disappear many times.

[LondonManc]

Thanks all for the advice and guidance - much appreciated.

I don't need to leave the contract early as the other client are willing to wait and set the start date to be from the end of my current date. I understand the risk of the offer disappearing but I hope that because I know the client and hiring manager very well they are unlikely to pull it (but I know in this business nothing is certain).

I do feel some guilt however in not renewing at the current client. Genuinely I feel that I have nothing tangible to be working on (and won't leave a huge gap) but still feel like I will be l leaving them in the lurch somehow. Would seeing out your current contract and declining a renewal be seen as burning a bridge with that client?

Likewise having a 3 month stint on my CV doesn't look good - and I'm not sure whether future clients who ask about it will appreciate my explanation of "they wanted to renew but I went elsewhere"?

Guilt over not renewing is quite understandable when you've enjoyed working with people. Ultimately, though, you're now in business for yourself. Build business relationships and think of a way that you can leave but not risk not being asked to return.

Given that you can leave at the end of the contract, then let them make the first move on the extension. If they haven't mentioned it by middle of Feb, then send them a polite email explaining that given you've not received any word of an extension then you've unfortunately had to make yourself available to other clients. While others on here may tell you that it doesn't matter too much how you leave, you're ultimately managing a business relationship and if you can say, yep, I've left on good terms, then being asked back shouldn't be an issue.

The 12-month gig sounds like a nice bit of solidity but make sure that you have the contract checked out by someone like QDOS for its IR35 position.

[MrJamez]

Have you actually received an offer or have you just heard about a new gig?

Two very different kettles of fish.

The offer isn't formal yet - the role has been created and the budget approved. The client manager responsible for the hiring has stated he wants me to fill it (having worked with me before) and has been contacting me for the last few months to make a concrete decision on it.

So no it's not an actual offer yet - but it's more than the situation of hearing a potential role from an agency.

[TheFaQQer]

Likewise having a 3 month stint on my CV doesn't look good - and I'm not sure whether future clients who ask about it will appreciate my explanation of "they wanted to renew but I went elsewhere"?

"I completed the contract, the client wanted me to extend, but another client offered me a contract"

[vadhert]

However, I have received a separate 12 month offer as a lead on a really important project for a much larger client. If I were to get this offer and decided to take it, how best should I exit my current client?

Have you actually received an offer or have you just heard about a new gig?

Two very different kettles of fish.

[jbond007]

I do feel some guilt however in not renewing at the current client. Genuinely I feel that I have nothing tangible to be working on (and won't leave a huge gap) but still feel like I will be l leaving them in the lurch somehow. Would seeing out your current contract and declining a renewal be seen as burning a bridge with that client?

I wouldn't feel guilty if you are actually going to see the length of the contract. You are just electing to not renew (should you be offered one). I don't see this as burning any bridges. They could be upset, but there isn't much you can do about it

Likewise having a 3 month stint on my CV doesn't look good - and I'm not sure whether future clients who ask about it will appreciate my explanation of "they wanted to renew but I went elsewhere"?

If you've got a 12 month contract following the 3 month stint, you can always point to the 12 month and say you decided not to renew. Again, don't see this as an issue

[MrJamez]

Thanks all for the advice and guidance - much appreciated.

I don't need to leave the contract early as the other client are willing to wait and set the start date to be from the end of my current date. I understand the risk of the offer disappearing but I hope that because I know the client and hiring manager very well they are unlikely to pull it (but I know in this business nothing is certain).

I do feel some guilt however in not renewing at the current client. Genuinely I feel that I have nothing tangible to be working on (and won't leave a huge gap) but still feel like I will be l leaving them in the lurch somehow. Would seeing out your current contract and declining a renewal be seen as burning a bridge with that client?

Likewise having a 3 month stint on my CV doesn't look good - and I'm not sure whether future clients who ask about it will appreciate my explanation of "they wanted to renew but I went elsewhere"?

[MrMarkyMark]

Also, although it appears that you have a new exciting offer, in reality, it could be canned before it is started.

Be careful, otherwise you may end up with nothing.

[northernladuk]

Do need to exit early or can it wait until February? If you are talking about a very quick exit you need to read your contract and see what it says about notice periods.

What the others said about the renewal.

[SlipTheJab]

Hi,

I am new to the forum and would appreciate some guidance and advice from your fine people.

So I am new to contracting and have started my first 3 month contract which expires at the end of February. The role is not very challenging and I do not have much to do, however the expectation is they will probably offer a renewal closer to the end date.

However, I have received a separate 12 month offer as a lead on a really important project for a much larger client. If I were to get this offer and decided to take it, how best should I exit my current client?

For example, knowing they are slow at getting renewals together do I wait until the renewal is offered and then decline it and then leave on my end date? What would I do in the scenario my contract expires before they've physically generated the renewed contract?

Or if I do not have a renewal in place 4 weeks before the end date (notice period) do I hand in my notice as pre-warning that without a renewal I may be leaving at the end of March?

Any help would be much appreciated.

If you don't want to extend just leave it as and finish up when the contract ends, if they offer a renewal turn it down. Notice period only applies if you want to leave before your contract end date.

[moneymoney]

technically, if you contract expires at the end of Feb and you don't renew, you don't even have to give them notice. You can just start another contract elsewhere. It would be good business practice to let them know though. If you have the other contract lined up (and you are 100% sure it won't fall through) then I'd just let them know that you won't be renewing as you've decided to seek other opportunities

[MrJamez]

Hi,

I am new to the forum and would appreciate some guidance and advice from your fine people.

So I am new to contracting and have started my first 3 month contract which expires at the end of February. The role is not very challenging and I do not have much to do, however the expectation is they will probably offer a renewal closer to the end date.

However, I have received a separate 12 month offer as a lead on a really important project for a much larger client. If I were to get this offer and decided to take it, how best should I exit my current client?

For example, knowing they are slow at getting renewals together do I wait until the renewal is offered and then decline it and then leave on my end date? What would I do in the scenario my contract expires before they've physically generated the renewed contract?

Or if I do not have a renewal in place 4 weeks before the end date (notice period) do I hand in my notice as pre-warning that without a renewal I may be leaving at the end of March?

Any help would be much appreciated.